Chandramukhi (character)

2021-07-05T08:52:06Z

117.197.51.216:

{{Infobox character
| color = #001
| name = Chandramukhi
| series = [[Devdas]]
| image = Vyjayanthimala in Devdas.jpg
| caption = [[Vyjayanthimala]] as ''Chandramukhi'' in [[Devdas (1955 film)|''Devdas'']]
| creator = [[Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay]]
| portrayer = [[Chandrabati Devi]] [[Vyjayanthimala]] [[Supriya Devi]] [[Kalki Koechlin]] [[Anwara Begum|Anwara]] [[Madhuri Dixit]] For more "[[#Performers|Performers]]"
| nickname = Leni
| alias = Chandrika
| race = [[Indian people]]
| occupation = [[Tawaif]] [[Courtesan]]
| spouse = [[Devdas|Devdas Mukherjee]]
| gender = [[Female]]
| religion = [[Hindu]]
}}
'''''Chandramukhi''''' is one of the pivotal characters in the 1917 [[Bengali novels|Bengali novel]] ''[[Devdas]]'' by [[Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay]]. Her character was inspired by the [[Hindu]] [[Mysticism|mystical]] singer [[Meera]], who devoted her life to Lord [[Krishna]]; similarly Chandramukhi devoted her life to Devdas.<ref>{{cite book |last=Guha |first=Srejara |title=Devdas: a novel |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=28RjAAAAMAAJ&q=chandramukhi+meera&dq=chandramukhi+meera&hl=en&sa=X&ei=H_89T6vSMovqrQeB0tCwBw&redir_esc=y |accessdate=17 February 2012 |year=2002 |publisher=Penguin Books |isbn=978-0-14-302926-7 |page=9}}</ref> Chandramukhi is portrayed as a [[hooker with a heart of gold]] in the novel and its film adaptations.<ref>{{cite news|title=Heart of gold, speckled with sin |url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2008/01/21/stories/2008012150640300.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011081507/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2008/01/21/stories/2008012150640300.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 October 2008 |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |author=Vidya Pradhan |date=21 Jan 2008 |accessdate=16 Feb 2012}}</ref> Chandramukhi means "moon faced" or "as beautiful as the moon" in [[Sanskrit]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Of Names of Women in Hindi Cinema: An Exploration in Semantics|first=Anindita|last=Ghose|publisher=[[e-Social Science]]s|date=August 2006|url=http://www.esocialsciences.com/data/articles/Document12592006460.2453272.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110410043649/http://www.esocialsciences.com/data/articles/Document12592006460.2453272.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-04-10|accessdate=16 Feb 2012|page=11|quote=Madhuri Dixit in ‘Devdas’ (2002) is Chandramukhi which means ‘moon faced’.}}</ref>

==In the novel==
Chandramukhi is a [[courtesan]] who lives in [[Calcutta]] also known as Kolkata. She is considered the most beautiful and richest prostitute in the area of [[Chitpur]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Shubha Tiwari |title=Indian fiction in English translation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XAc-7MEyrJgC&pg=PA83&dq=chandramukhi&hl=en&sa=X&ei=sjk8T_bmGaq5iAfM8ZT7CQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=chandramukhi&f=false |accessdate=2012-02-16 |year=2005 |publisher=New Delhi Atlantic Publication |isbn=978-81-269-0450-1 |page=151}}</ref> She is first introduced to Devdas by Chunnilal, who returns to Calcutta heartbroken after the marriage of Parvathi "Paro". Devdas, disgusted over Chandramukhi's profession insults her and leaves her [[Brothel|kotha]]. Chandramukhi, impressed by Devdas's attitude, later falls in love with him after realizing his steadfast love for Paro. She leaves her profession for Devdas and convinces him to marry her; he, however, has to reluctantly reject her offer as he has devoted his life to Paro. In return, Chandramukhi does not force him to be with her but waits patiently for him. Subsequently, she also moves to Ashthajhari village, where she lives in a muddy house located at the bank of a river and helps the needy. After some struggle, she meets with [[Devdas]] again, who now accepts her love.

==In the film==
[[File:P.C. Barua and Chandrabati Devi - Bengali version of Devdas (1935).jpg|right|thumb|[[Chandrabati Devi]] as Chandramukhi and [[Pramathesh Barua]] as [[Devdas]] in the 1935 [[Cinema of West Bengal|Bengali film]] ''[[Devdas (1935 film)|Devdas]]'']]
In most of the film adaptations of ''Devdas'', the story of Chandramukhi is similar to the novel. However, in most of the films her [[Humanitarianism|humanitarian]] work in helping the needy is not depicted. Unlike in the novel, a scene in which Chandramukhi and Parvathi meet was added in [[Bimal Roy]]'s [[Devdas (1955 film)|1955 version]] when Paro, played by [[Suchitra Sen]] riding in a [[Pulled rickshaw|human rickshaw]], comes across Chandramukhi, played by [[Vyjayanthimala]], who just stares at Paro without a single word being exchanged between them.<ref>{{cite news |title=The Devdas Phenomenon |url=http://www.uiowa.edu/~incinema/DEVDAS.html |publisher=[[University of Iowa]] |author=Corey K. Creekmur |date=13 December 2001 |accessdate=18 February 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120113071438/http://www.uiowa.edu/~incinema/DEVDAS.html |archive-date=13 January 2012 }}</ref> The meeting scene of Paro and Chandramukhi in the 1955 version was still regarded as one of the memorable scene in Bollywood with the background music adding the impact to the scene.<ref name="Devdas Hindu review">{{cite news|title=Devdas (1955) |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/article657430.ece |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |author=Vijay Lokapally |date=20 February 2009 |accessdate=7 March 2012}}</ref> In the [[Devdas (2002 Hindi film)|2002 version]], the director, [[Sanjay Leela Bhansali]], extended the interaction between Paro and Chandramukhi, also showing them dancing together to the hit song "[[Dola Re Dola]]".<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Fighting Queens |url=http://www.outlookindia.com/glitterati.aspx?322 |magazine=[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook (magazine)]] |date=13 December 2001 |accessdate=18 February 2012}}</ref>

==Performers==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! rowspan=2|Year !! rowspan=2|Title !! rowspan=2|Essayed by !! rowspan=2 class="unsortable"|Language !! colspan=2 class="unsortable" | Other cast !! rowspan=2 class="unsortable"|Notes
|-
! Devdas !! Paro
|-
| 1928 || [[Devdas (1928 film)|''Devdas'']] || [[Niharbala]] / [[Miss Parul]] || [[Silent film|Silent]] || [[Phani Sharma]] || [[Tarakbala]] ||
|-
| 1935 || [[Devdas (1935 film)|''Devdas'']] || [[Chandrabati Devi]] || [[Bengali language|Bengali]] || [[P.C. Barua]] || [[Jamuna Baruah]] ||
|-
| 1936 || [[Devdas (1936 film)|''Devdas'']] || [[T. R. Rajakumari]] || [[Hindi language|Hindi]] || [[K.L. Saigal]] || [[Jamuna Baruah]] ||
|-
| 1937 || [[Devdas (1937 film)|''Devdas'']] || [[Mohini]] || [[Assamese language|Assamese]] || [[Phani Sharma]] || [[Zubeida]] ||
|-
| 1953 || [[Devdas (1953 Telugu film)|''Devadasu'']] || [[Lalitha (actress)|Lalitha]] || [[Telugu language|Telugu]], [[Tamil Language|Tamil]] || [[Akkineni Nageswara Rao]] || [[Savitri (actress)|Savitri]] || –
|-
| 1955 || [[Devdas (1955 film)|''Devdas'']] || [[Vyjayanthimala]] || [[Hindi]] || [[Dilip Kumar]] || [[Suchitra Sen]] ||
|-
| 1955 || [[Good Bye My Lover]] || [[Molly Lim]] || [[Malay language|Malay]] || [[S. Roomai Noor]] || [[Chang Lai Lai]] || [[Cinema of Malaysia|Malaysian film]]; also known as [[''Selamat Tinggal, Kekasihku]]''<ref>{{cite news |title=A new era |url=http://ecentral.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/4/2/movies/17314394&sec=movies |newspaper=[[The Star (Malaysia)]] |author=Allan Koay |date=2 Apr 2007 |accessdate=22 Feb 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120711063817/http://ecentral.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/4/2/movies/17314394&sec=movies |archive-date=2012-07-11 }}</ref>
|-
| 1965 || [[Devdas (1965 film)|''Devdas'']] || [[Nayyar Sultana]] || [[Urdu]] || [[Habib Taalish]] || [[Shamim Ara]] || [[Pakistani film]]
|-
| 1974 || [[Devadasu (1974 film)|''Devadasu'']] || [[Jayanthi (actress)|Jayanthi]] || [[Telugu language|Telugu]] || [[Ghattamaneni Krishna]] || [[Vijaya Nirmala]] ||
|-
| 1979 || [[Devdas (1979 film)|''Devdas'']] || [[Supriya Choudhury]] || [[Bengali language|Bengali]] || [[Soumitra Chatterjee]] || [[Sumitra Mukherjee]]|| also known as [[''Debdas'']]
|-
| 1982 || [[Devdas (1982 film)|''Devdas'']] || [[Anwara Begum|Anwara]] || [[Bengali language|Bengali]] || [[Bulbul Ahmed]] || [[Kabori Sarwar]] || [[Cinema of Bangladesh|Bangladeshi film]]
|-
| 1989 || ''[[Devadas (1989 film)|Devadas]]'' || [[Ramya Krishnan]] || [[Malayalam language|Malayalam]] || [[Venu Nagavally]] || [[Parvathy Jayaram|Parvathy]] ||
|-
| 2002 || [[Devdas (2002 Bengali film)|''Devdas'']] || [[Indrani Halder]] || [[Bengali language|Bengali]] || [[Prasenjit Chatterjee]] || [[Arpita Pal]] ||
|-
| 2002 || [[Devdas (2002 Hindi film)|''Devdas'']] || [[Madhuri Dixit]] || [[Hindi]] || [[Shah Rukh Khan]] || [[Aishwarya Rai]] ||
|-
| 2009 || ''[[Dev.D]]'' || [[Kalki Koechlin]] || [[Hindi]] || [[Abhay Deol]] || [[Mahi Gill]] || A modern-day take on ''[[Devdas]]''
|-
| 2010 || [[Devdas (2010 film)|''Devdas'']] || [[Meera (Irtiza Rubab)|Meera]] || [[Urdu]] || [[Nadeem Shah]] || [[Zara Shaikh]] || [[Pakistani film]]
|-
| 2013 || ''[[Devdas (2013 film)|Devdas]]'' || [[Moushumi]] || [[Bengali language|Bengali]] || [[Shakib Khan]] || [[Apu Biswas]] || [[Cinema of Bangladesh|Bangladeshi film]]
|-
| 2017 || ''[[Devi]]'' || [[Shataf Figar]] || [[Bengali language|Bengali]] || [[Paoli Dam]] || [[Shubh Mukherjee]] || modern-day take on ''[[Devdas]]'' genderbent versions of characters
|-
| 2017 – present || ''[[Dev DD]]'' || [[Sanjay Suri]] || [[Hindi]] || [[Asheema Vardaan]] || [[Akhil Kapoor]] || web series modern-day take on ''[[Devdas]]'' genderbent versions of characters
|-
| 2018 || ''[[Daas Dev]]'' || [[Aditi Rao Hydari]] || [[Hindi]] || [[Rahul Bhatt]] || [[Richa Chadda]] || modern-day take on ''[[Devdas]]''
|}

==Social impact==
Chandramukhi is one of the first characters in an Indian novel to deal with prostitution.<ref>{{cite book |author=Lindsay J. Proudfoot, M. M. Roche |title=(Dis)placing empire: renegotiating British colonial geographies |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RMqXV1ikToQC&pg=PA160&dq=chandramukhi+social&hl=en&sa=X&ei=q1U_T9CUKIHVrQf2toXIBw&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=chandramukhi%20social&f=false |accessdate=18 February 2012 |year=2005 |publisher=Ashgate Publishing Limited |isbn=0-7546-4213-5 |page=160}}</ref> She was often depicted as a prostitute with a heart of gold.<ref>{{cite book |author=Sumita S. Chakravarty |title=National identity in Indian popular cinema, 1947-1987 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l8T0uwJtMxkC&pg=PA270&dq=chandramukhi+social&hl=en&sa=X&ei=iF0_T-LBAo7JrAfd7ri0Bw&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=chandramukhi%20social&f=false |accessdate=18 February 2012 |year=1993 |publisher=Harward Academic Publication |isbn=978-0-292-71156-3 |page=271}}</ref> The character of Chandramukhi had paved the way for other portrayals of prostitutes in films like [[Sadhna]], [[Pyaasa]] and [[Pakeezah]].<ref>{{cite book |author=Meghnad Desai |title=Nehru's hero Dilip Kumar in the life of India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ayRlAAAAMAAJ&q=chandramukhi+sadhna&dq=chandramukhi+sadhna&hl=en&sa=X&ei=B2E_T66JCcvOrQeh09m-Bw&ved=0CDcQ6AEwAA |accessdate=18 February 2012 |year=2004 |publisher=Lotus Collection, Roli Books |isbn=978-81-7436-311-4 |page=95}}</ref> Actresses such as [[Nargis]], [[Suraiya]] and [[Bina Rai]] refused to enact the role of a prostitute in the 1955 film of ''Devdas'', which later went to [[Vyjayanthimala]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2002/jul/05ghosh.htm |title='I did not approve of Vyjayanthimala as Chandramukhi' |date=5 Jul 2002 |author=Lata Khubchandani |accessdate=18 Feb 2012 |work=[[Rediff]]}}</ref>

==Legacy==
Chandramukhi was well-received in [[India]] by [[critic]]s. In 2006, ''[[Rediff]]'' listed Chandramukhi in their list of "Bollywood's Best [[Tawaif]]".<ref name="Bollywood Best Tawaif">{{cite web|url=http://specials.rediff.com/movies/2006/oct/30slid3.htm|title=Bollywood's top tawaifs|date=30 Oct 2006|author=Dinesh Raheja|author-link=Dinesh Raheja|accessdate=18 Feb 2012|work=[[Rediff]]}}</ref> [[Nikhat Kazmi]] of ''[[The Times of India]]'' also ranked ''Chandramukhi'' at #5 in his list "Tart with a heart", saying that "The egotistical Paro may have given her boy friend the goby, but self-sacricficing Chandramukhi was willing to put everything on hold — her livelihood too — for her lover".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-01-16/news-interviews/28116906_1_prostitutes-heart-myths/3 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120709081800/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-01-16/news-interviews/28116906_1_prostitutes-heart-myths/3 |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 July 2012 |title=Tart with a heart |newspaper=[[The Times of India]] |date=16 January 2006 |author=Nikhat Kazmi |author-link=Nikhat Kazmi |accessdate=20 March 2011}}</ref>

==Awards==
There are many actresses who have portrayed ''Chandramukhi'' in [[Devdas#Film, TV, and theatrical adaptations|film adaptations]] of ''Devdas''. The first notable award was won by [[Vyjayanthimala]] in 1956 when she won the [[Filmfare Awards]], known as [[Bollywood]]'s [[Academy Award|Oscar]],<ref name="Mishra 9">{{citation|first=Vijay|last=Mishra|title=Bollywood Cinema: A Critical Genealogy|page=9|publisher=[[Victoria University of Wellington]]|url=http://www.victoria.ac.nz/slc/asi/publications/17-bollywood.pdf|accessdate=2012-02-18|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6AuRY3TFd?url=http://www.victoria.ac.nz/slc/asi/publications/17-bollywood.pdf|archive-date=2012-09-24}}</ref> in the [[Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress|Supporting Actress category]]. However, she was also the first person to decline the award, as she thought that her role was not a supporting one but was of equal importance and parallel to that of Parvathy in the [[Devdas (1955 film)|1955 version]].<ref>{{cite news|title=A star spangled evening |url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2004/jun/22spec1.htm|date=22 Jun 2012 |publisher=[[Rediff]]|author=Sheela Bhatt |accessdate=18 Feb 2012 |location=Mumbai, Maharashtra}}</ref> Other actresses who played Chandramukhi in Hindi versions of the novel have also won this award.<ref name="Bollywood Best Tawaif"/>

The following are awards and nominations received by actresses who have played the role of Chandramukhi in film:
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
|-
! Year
! Film
! Nominee
! Award
! Result
! Note
! Ref.
|-
|1957
|[[Devdas (1955 film)|''Devdas'']]
|[[Vyjayanthimala]]
|[[Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress]]
|rowspan=3 {{won}}
|She refused to accept the award as she thought that Chandramukhi and Parvathi were parallel roles and not a main and a supporting role
|rowspan="7"|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.upperstall.com/people/vyjayanthimala |title=Vyjayanthimala |publisher=[[Upperstall]] |accessdate=16 Feb 2012}}</ref> <ref>{{cite news|title=The Winners – 1956|url=http://filmfareawards.indiatimes.com/articleshow/366351.cms|publisher=[[Indiatimes]]|accessdate=2012-02-16|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714105457/http://filmfareawards.indiatimes.com/articleshow/366351.cms|archive-date=2012-07-14}}</ref> <ref>{{cite news|title=Shah Rukh, Ash, Ajay Devgan's rich haul |url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2003/feb/22award.htm |publisher=[[Rediff]] |author=Subhash K. Jha |date=2003-02-22 |accessdate=2012-02-16}}</ref> <ref>{{cite news|title=The winners of the 55th Filmfare Awards are... |url=http://entertainment.oneindia.in/bollywood/features/2010/filmfare-awards-winners-010310.html |publisher=[[Oneindia.in]] |author=Raymond Ronamai |accessdate=2012-02-16}}</ref> <ref>{{cite news |title=Nominations for Max Stardust Awards 2010 |url=http://oldbh.bollywoodhungama.com/features/2010/01/16/5853/index.html |publisher=[[Bollywood Hungama]] |author=Bollywood Hungama News Network |date=2010-01-16 |accessdate=2012-02-16 }}{{dead link|date=August 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
|-
|rowspan=4|2002
|rowspan=4|[[Devdas (2002 Hindi film)|''Devdas'']]
|rowspan=4|[[Madhuri Dixit]]
|Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress
|
|-
|[[Screen Award for Best Supporting Actress]]
|
|-
|[[Zee Cine Award for Best Actor – Female]]
|rowspan=2 {{nom}}
|
|-
|[[IIFA Award for Best Actress]]
|
|-
|rowspan=2|2010
|rowspan=2|[[Dev.D]]
|rowspan=2|[[Kalki Koechlin]]
|Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress
|{{won}}
|
|-
|[[Stardust Award for Breakthrough Performance – Female]]
|{{nom}}
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |2013
| rowspan="2" |[[Devdas (2013 film)|Devdas]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Moushumi]]
|[[Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Actress]]
|{{won}}
|
|
|-
|[[Meril-Prothom Alo Award for Best Film Actress]] (people’s choice)
|Nom
|
|<ref>{{cite news|date=April 17, 2014|title=মেরিল—প্রথম আলো পুরস্কার ২০১৩|language=bn|trans-title=Meril Prothom Alo Award, 2013|newspaper=Prothom Alo|url=http://www.prothom-alo.com/entertainment/article/194056/%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B2%E2%80%94%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%A5%E0%A6%AE-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%8B-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A7%A8%E0%A7%A6%E0%A7%A7%E0%A7%A9}}</ref>
|}

==See also==
* ''[[Chandramukhi]]'' (2005) Tamil film
* [[List of prostitutes and courtesans]]
* [[Hooker with a heart of gold]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160809034909/http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0035841/ Chandramukhi] on [[IMDb]]

{{Devdas}}

[[Category:Drama film characters]]
[[Category:Fictional Bengali people]]
[[Category:Fictional Indian people]]
[[Category:Indian film characters]]
[[Category:Characters in novels of the 20th century]]
[[Category:Fictional courtesans]]
[[Category:Literary characters introduced in 1917]]

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Chandramukhi (character)